But this wasn’t a movie. In life, we didn’t get to have credits roll to tell us when we’d come to the end of our epiphany arc. To know when to applaud. In life, there were no credits, no sound tracks. In life, things often didn’t work out. My brother might never get better. I might make the list for my parents but not choose the right answer. Because there were no right answers.
That was the great thing about growing up. We got to write our own endings, thousands of them, over and over. That was life. It was a million little endings. But it was also a million little beginnings. Even when other people thought we were writing them wrong. I didn’t know if Adam and I could make our separate worlds work in the future, but for today — we had a tour to finish.
Not everyone liked a Hollywood ending.
But I did. As long as it was my Hollywood ending.
Adam tilted his perfect movie-star head and gave me his signature brand of puppy-dog eyes. “Come on. What can I say, Carter Moon? I missed you.”
I melted. “Where’s Mik?” I tossed the rag I’d been holding onto a nearby table.
“I gave Mik the day off.”
“Isn’t that a security problem?”
“I’ll risk it.” He held out his arms, and I walked through our gate and into them.
Adam pulled me to him, and his scent of spice and clean soap engulfed me. I inhaled as he bent down to me. When he kissed me, his lips covered mine, warm and real, my body, my heart, everything — fireworks. And I knew this kiss was real. That it was meant for me. Not Small-Town Girl. Not Tabloid Girlfriend. Me.
No, this moment wasn’t a movie.
It was better.
Because this moment was mine.
So I leaned into him and kissed him back.
in life, we have our little galaxies sparkling with the stars who love and support us. And I couldn’t have written Catch a Falling Star without my shining stars….
First, a huge thank you to my agent, Melissa Sarver, who, when I said, I want to write about a small town, and our cultural obsession with fame and achievement, and, oh yeah — I want to make it a love story … and feature Christmas … and stargazing, didn’t blink before encouraging me, and then guided me through so many drafts of this novel. You’re amazing, Melissa. I’m also grateful to Molly Jaffa and everyone over at Folio Literary Management for their ongoing support.
I found my dream editor in Jody Corbett. Jody, you elevated this book in your own swoon-worthy way. Also, thanks to the whole team at Scholastic, with a special shout out to Roz Hilden, Elizabeth Starr Baer, and Yaffa Jaskoll. As Jody says, it truly takes a village to make a book. This has been an exceptionally nice village to dwell in.
And to my first readers: Michael Bodie, Gabrielle Carolina, Kirsten Casey, Erin Dixon, Tanya Egan Gibson, Alison Jones-Pomatto, and Loretta Ramos — you were all generous and honest and kind in your early feedback of this book. I’m so grateful.
I’m thankful to my two writing groups. My Monday mornings with Annie, Jaime, and Kirsten — ladies, you know how much I love you. And a group hug to Mark, Bev, Jeff, Brad, and Annie (you poor souls read too many openings of this book to count). Also, thank you to Angie and Kit and everyone at The Book Seller. I’m a lucky author to have a bookstore like you in my corner.
There were many elements of this book I couldn’t have tackled without the support of the following people who were willing to share their expertise: Chris Lewis (law enforcement); Emily Gallup (understanding addiction and rehab cycles); Wendy, Santia, and everyone at Center Stage Dance Studio; and Michael and Loretta (your Hollywood and film knowledge saved me!). Any mistakes are mine and not theirs.
As for the celestial details, I wanted to mention how much I relied on NASA’s website as well as Universe Today to solidify the random star facts swimming around in my brain that I’ve picked up over the years. Extra thanks to Krista Witt for her science eye, and also, thanks to the many friends and family (too many to list) who sent me little anecdotes and star facts as I was writing this.
Carter has wonderful parents and I’m lucky to have the ones who raised me as well as the ones who got stuck with me because I married their son. Bill and Linda Culbertson and Dick and Daisy Sagebiel — there is nothing quite like having people believe in you unconditionally. Thank you.
And finally, the biggest thanks to Peter and Anabella, my stargazing companions. There is no one else with whom I’d rather watch the sky.
kim Culbertson is the author of Instructions for a Broken Heart, a Northern California Book Award winner, and Songs for a Teenage Nomad. When she’s not writing young adult novels, she teaches high school creative writing. Kim lives with her husband and their daughter in Northern California. For more about Kim, visit www.kimculbertson.com.
Copyright © 2014 by Kim Culbertson
All rights reserved. Published by Point, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. scholastic, point, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Culbertson, Kim A. author.
Catch a falling star / Kim Culbertson. — First edition.
pages cm
Summary: Carter Moon is expecting to spend a quiet summer working in her parents’ restaurant and hanging out with her friends Alien Drake and Chloe — but when a Hollywood company arrives to film a movie, her sleepy California town is suddenly transformed, and Carter finds herself playing an unexpected part in it all.
ISBN 978-0-545-62704-7
1. Motion picture actors and actresses — Juvenile fiction. 2. Acting — Juvenile fiction. 3. Best friends — Juvenile fiction. 4. Friendship — Juvenile fiction. 5. California — Juvenile fiction. [1. Actors and actresses — Fiction. 2. Motion pictures — Production and direction — Fiction. 3. Best friends — Fiction. 4. Friendship — Fiction. 5. Self-realization — Fiction. 6. California — Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.C8945Cat 2014
813.6 — dc23
2013029467
First edition, May 2014
Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll
Cover photograph © 2014 by Michael Frost
Cover stock images: sky © Jim Doberman/Getty Images (RF), window/roof © Image Source/Getty Images (RF), shingles © Derek Trask/Getty Images
e-ISBN 978-0-545-62705-4
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
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